No suspension? Does it miss it, a bit? Can you go over gutters and stuff? Btw, those are the best Over Seat Steering handlebars I've seen yet. Thanks for the video
@alexsainsbury2176 No suspension on this bike nor the Bacchetta I owned prior. There are very few gutters or other bumps I come across so I don't feel I need suspension for my area. I guess I would just consider it added weight. When I go over gutters sometimes I will sit up a moment to better absorb it. Great questions!
great video I have a bacchettta 3,0 since 4 years realy nice on down hill but hard on top. I am considering changing it for an S 40 but is the cruzbike really effective in terms of rating despite its heavier weight than upright bikes? secondly I am tall and I saw that there are several fork lengths before how to choose. thirdly, is it difficult to switch from propulsion to direct traction?
@georgesfromsouth2991 1. Since the steering and pedaling is connected the legs and arms can all work together to generate power. So I think the s40 is more effective at climbs than a Bacchetta but an upright bike is better at climbing overall in my opinion. 2. The Cruzbike has a sliding front boom so it can accommodate various sizes without having to choose part sizes. 3. Not difficult. It takes a little practice bit really not difficult. About 10 miles to get comfortable and 100 miles for I to feel like second nature. Thanks for the questions!
Which do you prefer the FEEL of, bikes where your feet shift with the steering (front wheel drive), or more traditional layouts where the crank is always pointed forward (rear wheel drive)?
Great question! I think rear wheel drive recumbents are more easy going but the cruzbike design allows me to drive more power but still be in a comfortable position. So it's a great situation.
@@corybikes If I can strain your patience just a little further -- and please know I truly appreciate you sharing your experience -- do you feel you get more power from the Cruzbike because front drive pulls you into curves?
@tinetannies4637 Yes that might have something to do with it. But primarily, I think the additional speed comes from the ability to not only apply leg muscle contraction but arm muscle contraction when I want to go fast. However if I just want to cruise around I can just push with my legs. Hope that helps!
Great question. Have a look at another video I have titled "Can You Handle a Recumbent Bike". Hopefully that displays how good it actuallyworks. For almost all turns on a bike the wheel turns very little actually. And for the very sharp turns it's common on all bikes to pause pedaling to avoid a spin out or whatever. So no, I haven't had an issue with pedaling while steering.
As a cycling newb when a bump comes I just take it because I am so tired and sore that even getting off the saddle hurts, so I end up just cringing and bracing for the pain my butt is about to experience.
Cory, Thank you for all your Recumbent videos, many people besides myself who don't Like or comment are enjoying them 🙂 Now how please tell us how big a deal suspension is on a CruzBike? I am torn between the Q45 and the S40. Most of my riding would be on the road and I'd put skinny tires on the Q45 if I go that direction. Thank you again for all your videos!
@bethanyhouserom I also ride on the road mostly and don't feel like I need suspension. In fact, the suspension will actually absorb your pedaling energy and the ride will feel spongy. I think you would enjoy an S40 more. Especially for pavement with smaller tires. Thanks for the question!!
@danielgill3016 Yes, my wheels are tubeless ready. I haven't ridden the V20 but pretty sure what kind of ride that would provide. I personally would get the V20 because I have a lot of nice paved trails around here and can go fast fast fast. I would probably go with an S40 if there are some stops along the way. Like road crossings and such. That slightly more upright posture is a little better for visibility and starting from a stop. Just my take bit would like to hear from others here.
It was installed by the bike shop and is the result of using two different products. I don't see the exact products online anymore but the mirror and some of the stem is like this: Mirrycle Mirrors Mountain Mirror a.co/d/0h3oVKPF Then the clamp is from a different product. Sorry I couldn't find the exact products.
I thought about getting the Cruzbike Q45 instead of this S40. But I spend much more time on well paved trails. I know a bike shop here in New Port Richey FL called Bent Revolution and they are very knowledgeable about the HP bikes as well as Cruzbike. Maybe you could make a trip?
@@corybikes I'm up here in Canada. I'm so envious of all the choices you guys have down there. Especially down there in Florida. If I were to emigrate somewhere else though Florida is top 10. 😉
For this video I am not clipped in. However I currently have SPD SL pedals on the bike. I liked to be clipped if there are few stops or intersections. But like flat pedals otherwise.
I am 65, recently retired, and I am enjoying undertaking bicycle tours. For trips in the flat, lets say along rivers, I will use a comfortable recumbent which I just have acquired. For trips across the alps (I live in Switzerland) I am using an E-Bike with an additional battery pack.
I just bought a HP Velotechnik Speedmachine (2 wheels) with the steering under the bike (second hand, made 2023, in perfect condition, with Rohloff gearing). Running a few steps for gaining speed is impossible due to that underneath steering. For learning to drive, I let it roll down the steep ramp leading into our garage, using about 1-2m of evelation, and then just rolling out in that 80-100m long garage. First feet close to the ground for security, then feet on the pedals, then start using the pedals on the flat, then using some ramp assistance for starting the bike with the pedals, and finally starting on the flat of the garage without the help of the ramp. Worked great, now I am working on making curves, still in that quiet garage, away from traffic. I cycled all my life, but this is my first recumbent and at the same time a somewhat tricky 2-wheeeler with steering underneath the bike. It feels wobbly and intimitating at first. However, it is perfectly possible to get used to it, also for a 65 year old...
I am 83 years old and on my 5th recumbent. In the early 90"s i said goodbye to my fleet of diamond bikes with all the associated aches and pains. My first bike was a beautiful Vision R44 with full fairing. I then added a Rans Vivo with full suspension, set up for riding non-paved trails. In 2005 i became concerened about balance and traded the bikes for an HPVelotechnik.Scorpion trike. After 2 knee replacements i found this great trike too low to exit comfortably. That trike was traded for a Greenspeed Magnum which i rode for about 10 years. My tired body began complaining about climbing hills, so i recently solved that problem with a new Terratrike EVO, equipped with a Bosch e-assist. Hills are no longer a problem, and i look forward to a few more good years of riding.
once i bought and rode my recumbent bike, i never looked back either. I bought a used Bacchetta giro with trade in for $50.00 and love it. when all my friends are complaining of lower back pain, neck pain, wrist pain, shoulder pain with their cycling shorts on. I'm just relaxing with my regular clothes and think how fun the ride has been. when my friends complain about the wind, i think it wasn't to bad. I don't know why the 2 wheel recumbent bike sales have plummeted. I guess people don't like in comfort? I will be looking to upgrade my bike this year so i can ride faster. thanks for the video about recumbent riding!
Neevr seen a flexy chainstay that does not absorb watts, and this one here is a pivot; unless your upper body is perfectly in sync to fight every pedal stroke and consuming zero watts while doing so.
Good eye. I touch on the front wheel pivot in my S40 Review video. It's a learned skill to handle the pivot but once the rider learns the technique they can actually generate more power.
@@corybikes You can generate bursts of power and feel like you are offsetting wastages. In reality your arms are not as rigid as metallic rear chainstays, so try as you might with bulging veins you can not force the steering to not yield to your power strokes, every little give and sway of the front wheel means lost energy. Holistically efficient? No, I don't believe it, at least not compared to a similarly laid back rwd with no chain tubes, but it is more of a full body workout though I will give it that.
I'm wondering how you warmed up before riding and which bike you used to warm up? There could have been some advantage to riding the second bike just due to having already warmed up. Also, I'm wondering why you switched from the Bacchetta used in previous videos to the Cruzbike? BTW, the S40 is more of an "endurance road bike", not really designed as a direct competitor/replacement for a typical road bike although there is some overlap. The V20 on the other hand was designed to be a direct competitor/replacement to road bikes and probably would make for better comparison.. I own and ride both. I will say that once you get your bent legs, in most situations, you will be faster on a comparable recumbent. At least that is my experience. Thanks again for the videos!
you realy need a power meter you can swap between the bikes too make truely fair comparisons of speed - as its proberly not possible to even do effort based on feel because the biomechanics are so different . still very intreasting vid though 🙂
Just got an S40. No one to help. Wish you lived in my neighborhood. Still trying to set the pedals and handlebars. Trying to learn to get on and off. Thanks for your videos.
Recumbent bikes are ergonomically wrong! Here's why: Stand straight and lift one leg. Now sit down on a chair and stick one leg out horizontally. Move that stretched leg up and down and feel how much more muscle power it takes and how much more fatiguing it is compared to the vertical leg lift. Resting your feet on the bike paddles does not make any difference. Pure physiology!
You are wrong on so many levels. I'm faster now on a Bacchetta CA2 than I ever was on a road bike. Components are the same. Only difference is more chain. Hills are not an issue and takes more training. Aerodynamics are better on a recumbent. Recumbents have the same wheels and tires as a road bike. Obviously yours doesn't. Wrong on getting parts. Easy to work on. No different than a road bike. As fas as bike racks go, most people use tray racks these days. Recumbents fit them no differently. You need to do more research
Recumbent bikes are ergonomically wrong! Here's why: Stand straight and lift one leg. Now sit down on a chair and stick one leg out horizontally. Move that stretched leg up and down and feel how much more muscle power it takes and how much more fatiguing it is compared to the vertical leg lift. Resting your feet on the bike paddles does not make any difference. Pure physiology!
@@Leonardo-ql1qu hi! I’m Floridian and have biked across my state! Not sure why we are listing our locations. Surely you don’t actually think being Dutch has anything to do with your ability to assess the efficiency of bikes right? That wouldn’t be very rational of you. You are talking about one specific metric and ignoring other metrics that overall contribute to the efficiency of recumbents over upright bikes. You can not wildly claim “increases fatigue” without factoring in the reduced fatigue on your back and, most importantly, your reduced aerodynamic footprint. There is a reason recumbents are more efficient in wind tunnels and there is a reason many older people with mobility and fatigue issues turn to them. Your one point of ergonomic benefit to the upright is outweighed by the significant difference in efficiency and ergonomics across the bored. I love my upright bike but that doesn’t somehow make basic science not apply here. Surface area is simple physics!
What you described is just the torque of gravity on your legs. Resting your feet on the paddles literally makes all the difference, it’s simple physics.
Meanwhile I’m over here doing carnivore freezing steaks and bacon and bringing thermoses of eggs and cans of spam. I sometimes miss the options I had on keto, at least when it comes to backpacking. My AT thru hike will definitely require some planning and flexibility
After a few rides on my Bacchetta I realize that it’s the greatest thing ever. So fun. You have to be sociable because everyone will want to comment about it. Drivers roll down their windows to ask me what that thing is?! There’s no denying it’s awesome.
A big category you didn’t mention is safety. A major reason I gave up diamond frames 20 years ago was too many close calls when turning into a headfirst ballistic missile off the front of my road bike. With a recumbent, you may scrape your side or bottom in an accident but FAR less likely to snap your neck.
🎉H. Newbie bike packer, to be, here. Just found your you tube channel. I. Also, own a road bike and a recumbent. I was interested in your comparison of the two in windy conditions. Very interesting results. I haven’t been through all your videos and comments …. I’m interested, and I’m sure I will find the answers here. (You are very thorough). Why did you switch to a bachetta? I see the Cruz has the equal size rims front and back and a different drive train. (I own a phantom lightning). 2. I am not far from tarpon springs. (Inverness). Do you have a bike shop that you would recommend for the recumbent? My telescoping ‘handlebar’ requires repair. Thank you for the videos.
Thanks for sharing! I have been touring since 2009, and totally agree 100% that light is what it's all about ... the lighter the rolling weight (rider, cycle, pannier gear, everything), the more fun a long trips is by far! My first tour, I pulled a trailer, and what a huge mistake that was for me. Being fearful of the unknown, what to expect out there on the open road, I packed WAY too much stuff, which was not too bad on the flat ground, but on hills and mountain passes, it really slowed my down considerably. For me, it has taken a few rides and years to figure out what I really need and what is just adding unnecessary weight, which greatly reduces my enjoyment. I think most of us probably go through a long learning curve, mine being fairly long, haha. One thing I got right from the start is using Schwalbe Marathon PLUS tires, because I have never had a flat tire, even having ridden through untold thousands of goatheads over the years, along with broken glass, metal shards, and other "sharpies" that typically give most riders flats. I know that Schwalbe is heavier that typical touring tires, and slightly slower, but for me, I prefer to ride flat-free, and not having to fix flats on my trips. This tire choice is one place where I don't mind the extra weight and cost. Keep it LIGHT, and enjoy the ride! steve
I am really jealous of your nice cycling/pedestrian pathways where you live! I sure wish I had access to those! Regarding pedals, I rode Shimano SPD clipless for years, but since summer 2022, when I decided to give a full-foot support pedal a try, I have permanently abandoned my clipless options (I think I lost my "cool" factor, haha). The primary reason is that the power increase to be had using the full foot (rather than just the forefoot) is dramatic, and very noticeable especially on hills (I live in a mountainous and hilly area, so my pedaling is now much more efficient and pleasurable). The pedal I am now using it the "Catalyst" pedal by a Colorado company called Pedaling Innovations. They are pro grade platform with traction pins (18 per side per pedal, so no slippage), standard width as any platform pedal, but the benefit comes in the pedal length because it supports the foot from the forefoot to the heel (arch of foot is directly above pedal axle line). I was skeptical at first, especially considering these set me back $149, but now I have no regrets at all. Just thought I'd share in case you have ever heard of these pedals (most riders will never give them a try because they don't fit into what is accepted and in vogue in the cycling world, but I am sure glad I did the experiment). I would not be a bit surprised that if you had a set of Catalyst pedals on your Cruzbike you would have found a speed increase that exceeded your diamond frame road bike. Anyway, just my two cents, for whatever it's worth. steve
